Blog Entry 3: Connecting ESE and Masterplans for ICT in Education

 For your third post, describe which achievement(s) of the three masterplans for ICT in education are evident in the school/classes that you are attached to for your ESE. You may want to refer to your blog post about your ESE.

Masterplan 1

·     The school has accepted ICT as a pedagogical tool in the classroom. The ICT department strongly encourages all teachers to make at least 20% of their lessons ICT-based.  

·      The school provides regular ICT skills training for teachers, which usually takes place 6-8 times each year. The school also engages software professionals to teach teachers how to use newly-acquired learning software during these training sessions.

·     Students are equipped with the skills required to complete ICT-based projects. For example, many students taking Chinese Language used to be unfamiliar with the typing of Chinese words into the computer. Therefore, Chinese teachers train students in their Chinese typing skills by conducting hands-on lessons in computer labs, during which students type Chinese essays as practice.

Masterplan 2

·      Teachers are proficient in the use of basic tools, namely productivity tools, Internet and email. They are also comfortable in using existing ICT tools and resources to support classroom teaching, for instance, the usage of relevant internet resources such as animation flash clips to extend learning.

·        Teachers engage pupils in more active and independent learning. Chinese teachers require students to do independent research on a given topic in groups, and to deliver a PowerPoint presentation of their work in class. Students taking Malay language have to explore the different functions of Comicshare software and create their own comic strip. On the other hand, during music lessons, students are required to individually use the Sonar XI music software to create their own digital music. 

·      The school uses ICT for school improvement. Students do an evaluation of their teachers and provide feedback about lessons through the school’s online e-learning platform each semester.

·       There is adequate 'soft' infrastructure that supports widespread and effective use of ICT. Firstly, there is campus-wide wireless access. In addition, the school’s E-learning platform allows teachers to upload lectures and assignments during E-learning day each year and also just before the school holidays. One such holiday assignment set by the Chinese department required students to write a reflection report based on a You-tube video that the teachers had uploaded.

Masterplan 3

The implementation of Masterplan 3 in the school is still in its early stages. The ICT department organizes workshops to promote the idea of developing students’ competencies of ‘self-directed learning’ and ‘collaborative learning’ through the use of ICT to teachers. Most departments are also currently trying to incorporate these two goals into the curriculum:

·     The Chinese department sets up a blog and uploads good essays written by students onto it. Students are encouraged to visit the blog and pick up essay-pointers from their fellow schoolmates’ work. (SDL)

·      The English department incorporates Twitter into the curriculum. Teachers post a word onto Twitter and students are required to use it to form a sentence of about 30 characters long and twit the sentence. The teachers then twit comments about the sentences formed. This activity promotes collaborative learning as students can learn from their classmates’ sentences and teachers' comments. (COL)

·   For Science subjects, teachers require students to explore a particular Science concept in groups, create a video based on it and upload the completed video onto Blogster. Other groups then view the video and give constructive comments that will help the group improve on it. (SDL and COL)

• An upcoming project initiated by the Chinese unit will involve Facebook. Teachers are planning to use this application to train students in the ‘picture discussion’ section of the oral exam component. A picture will be uploaded onto the Chinese unit’s Facebook page, and students will be asked to comment on the pictures. They can also learn from classmates' insights and teachers’ comments.  (COL)